Tuesday, 29 January 2008

I wasn't born fat. Quite the opposite. I wasn't a fat child, or a fat teenager, or, for most of my adulthood, a fat adult. In fact, I've spent around 40 years not being fat.

Lucky old me. For all those years I haven't had to endure the misery that I've heard about other fat people going through - the taunts at school, the worried parents, the diets, the disapproving doctors, the employment discrimination, etc. And even though I've recently got bigger, I've gone past the point where I will have to experience some of these things - being picked for games as a fat person, finding school uniform that fits as a fat person, starting dating as a fat person, etc.

And lucky old me in another way - although I didn't join the team due to my size, I embraced fat activism many years ago. And, metaphorically at least, I embraced fat people - I didn't find fat repulsive on myself or others.

That's not to say that I was completely accepting of my fat. I have had mixed feelings (which I'll elaborate later) and also have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight (more about that later too). But I do think I have had an easier time than most of you. Now that my size has altered enough for me to become a member rather than just cheering from the sidelines, I'd like to join you please.